


Bad Habits

by DisasterBisexual



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: ASL, Ace Reader, American Sign Language, Asexual, Asexual Awareness Week, Asexual Character, Asexual Reader, Asexual Relationship, Asexual Spectrum, Asexuality, Asexuality Spectrum, Breakup, Episodic Chapters, Eventual Romance, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluffy Angst, Heartbreak, Interspecies Romance, M/M, Monsters, No Sex, No Smut, Nonverbal Character, Romance, Shorts, Slice of Life, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Slow To Update, Undertale Monsters on the Surface, ace!reader, angsty, asexual!Reader, lots of fluff, major fluff, soft angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-06
Updated: 2018-06-03
Packaged: 2019-05-03 02:41:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14559078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DisasterBisexual/pseuds/DisasterBisexual
Summary: Several months after monsterkind emerges from Mt. Ebott, conflicts are beginning to spark between monsters and humans. Tensions between the races are running high, and many people are afraid the monsters will try to take revenge on humankind for sealing them below the mountain so many years ago.You're not worried about that, though. After all, every monster you've met so far has been incredibly kind, you couldn't imagine most of them hurting a fly. They keep their distance, and you respect that, not wanting to assume the worst in them, as a past victim of hateful generalizations yourself. In your opinion, they're even better than most humans. Because you're asexual, people just don't leave you alone. They ask extremely personal questions and feel entitled to answers. At least monsters don't really seem to care about your nonexistent sex life.You find yourself feeling better in their company, and take the time to really get to know them as individuals. And for the first time in your life, you feel like you might even have a chance at a non-sexual relationship with someone. But what happens when you're thrown dead-center into the escalating conflict?





	1. A Chilly Morning

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this fanfic to be a self-insert, so you/yours/yourself pronouns will be used to refer to the human POV character. In case that sort of thing bothers you, I thought I'd let you know ahead of time and save you the trouble of finding out as you read!
> 
> And yes, I promise the "breakup" tag is only there because the reader and their current boyfriend part ways in the first chapter. I wanted their sudden loneliness to be a plot point and motivation for them to seek out new friends and sources of comfort.
> 
> (**Disclaimer: This is something I wrote at 11pm last night when I was too tired to function, much less care about the quality of my writing. I polished it up a bit to make it more presentable, but I'm not used to writing this sort of thing, so I'm still kind of embarrassed about it. I'm not really sure how long I want this story to run, but I hope I can do Toby's characters justice.)  
> __________________________________________
> 
> I'm going to try to update this fic regularly, if I can. I'll shoot for once a week, and probably won't post an update unless it's a finished chapter. That doesn't account for edits, though, and every now and then I like to comb back through my older stuff to look for grammatical/continuity errors, so please be patient with me.

Bad habits? Yeah, you had a few.

Sometimes you’d pick at the skin around your cuticles when you were nervous, peeling it away to the point where it looked like a paper cut. That was the worst, the cuts stung for days on end. But, sometimes you’d hurt other people. It was easier to lie to people’s faces, way easier than it should’ve been, but you weren’t doing it out of malice–sometimes you just panicked and the wrong words slipped out of your mouth.

That wasn’t the worst of it, though. Sure, you could be selfish and dishonest, but you were way too forgiving when it came to anyone aside from yourself. You gave people second, third, fourth, fifth, twenty-sixth chances and let them walk all over you like a dusty old doormat. You couldn’t count on your hands and feet the number of times you had embarrassed yourself by being unable to say no to a former friend who had wronged you. Or worse, you’d come running back to exes and old flames, despite the fact that they’d burned you in the past. So you decided to just shut everyone out. They can’t hurt you if you never let them in to begin with, right?

You didn’t have the heart to try and stop them from leaving you in the first place, which was part of the problem.

Like now.

You didn’t expect your boyfriend to ask you out over text only to dump you before he could finish his morning coffee. And yet, here you were, sitting in the middle of a quiet café, absently looking down as you stirred your drink while you pretended not to watch him leave.

His words echo in your ears.

_“You’re just so…. cold….. and distant.”_

_“It’s like kissing an icicle, you know?”_

_“You never want to hug me in public. It’s because I embarrass you, isn’t it?”_

_“I feel like I never reach you, your mind is always somewhere else, and probably on something–or someone–else.”_

_“It’s almost like you don’t want me. Instead of looking at me, you look straight through me. Am I just thin air to you?”_

_“I think we should see other people. No hard feelings.”_

You sigh, sipping your hot chocolate halfheartedly. Most of whipped cream had already melted, dissolving into the delectable concoction of chocolate powder and milk. Because his confession caught you off guard, it hurt more than you had anticipated, but there was no way in hell you’d let it show. Showing weakness was what got you into bad relationships in the first place, and that was the old you. What really mattered was who you were now, and how you were going to get past this.

Although, you had to admit, you were a bit peeved that he decided to break up with you at work. And it took up most of your break, too. You picked up your mug, wiped the ring of cocoa off the table, and headed back behind the counter of the coffee bar, placing it out of eyeshot in the sink.

He wasn’t even that good of a kisser, he had a bad case of fish lips–no offense to actual fish, who were, frankly, probably way more pleasant to kiss than he had been. You stifle a giggle at the thought of your ex with a fish head on a human body. He looked like even more of an idiot than usual in your imagination. _Good_. Not that it mattered to you anymore.

Your shift had officially started. Tying a bland brown apron around your waist, you smoothed out the creases in your shirt as you turned to greet the next customer with a big smile. But as your eyes met theirs, your expression froze. You blinked. Was it your imagination playing tricks on you, or was there a skeleton monster standing at the front of the line? Shaking your head, you blinked again. Nope, he was definitely there. Not wanting to seem unfriendly, you mustered up enough composure to break the silence.

“What would you like today, sir?”

The skeleton arches a bony… brow? Did skeleton monsters have brows? And glances at the menu.

“i dunno, i’ve never been here before. got any recommendations?”

You hum thoughtfully, thumbing through your mental index of popular menu items.

“I’d have to say the Winter Wonderland is pretty good,” you reply casually, pointing to a chalk drawing of an icy blue glass surrounded by little snowflakes. “I’ve tried it and it definitely lives up to its name. Though, I wouldn’t recommend it if you get cold easily,” you add quickly, sneaking a cursory glance at his spine. Could skeleton monsters get cold?

He taps his foot, deep in thought, weighing the pros and cons.

“hmm. think i’ll try one of those..”

You raise an eyebrow in his general direction, somewhat surprised by his bold selection. Shrugging, you cave in and started prepping the ingredients for his order. It was a slow day, so there was nobody else to worry about at the moment, and you could channel all your energy into avoiding your feelings.

Much to your chagrin, the skeleton takes a seat at the bar, swiveling around in the stool to get a better look at the place. Eventually, you feel his eyes settle on you. This was going to make things harder, seeing as you didn’t like being scrutinized. Then again, maybe a distraction was exactly what you needed.

Putting on your best customer service voice, you turn to face him, flashing an all-too-bright smile.

“So, I take it you’re not from around these parts?”

He shrugs, twirling the wrapper of a straw in his bony fingers.

“you could say that.”

Clearing your throat, you glance at the clock. Your shift wasn't over for a couple hours, which meant there was no getting out of this. The skeleton seemed to notice your discomfort, despite your best efforts to wear a poker face.

“what gave me away, the skeletal complexion? or do you just have a knack for sniffing out city slickers?” he asks, clearly pleased to have an audience.

You laugh, feeling some of the leftover tension from the confrontation earlier leave your body. For a monster, he seemed like a pretty decent guy.

“I’ll take that as a compliment. It’s hard not to spot a tourist when you’ve been stuck here your whole life, much less when you see the local folk pass through every day.”

He tilts his head, unsure about why you hadn’t stated the obvious–he clearly wasn’t human, and stuck out like a sore thumb in a human-run café. After all, everyone else had already noticed him. Some people had even gotten up and left as soon as he walked in, while others whispered under their breath and tried not to stare. Which meant either you were the densest person in the world, or you were just trying to be polite. At this point, you guessed he didn’t really mind which one it was.

You pass him his drink. He stirs the frothy blue mess with his straw, staring lazily out the window.

“guess this is one way to break the ice.” He pauses for effect, grinning when you let out a soft snort of disapproval. Skeletons and puns shouldn’t go together, but in his case, you had a feeling they were inseparable.

“you don’t sound too happy about being stuck here,” he comments, throwing your own words back in your face.

_Crap_. Because you let your guard down with him, the truth slipped out. He arches a brow, expecting an answer. You scramble to come up with a response that wouldn’t get half the town to hate you.

“I-it’s not that, not exactly. Of course I want to travel someday, but I really do love it here. All the people are kind and easygoing once you get to know them, and it’s really beautiful at night, especially on the mountain trails.”

He chuckles as he turns away from the window.

“i don’t think anything you could say about this place would lower your reputation around here much more than talking to a monster.”

You feel your cheeks flush with shame, slightly nonplussed by his response.

_Bingo_.

Shrugging, he gives a wan smile as he fastens a cap onto his drink.

“don’t worry, i got it. i’ll get out of your way. wouldn’t wanna make hanging onto your job a _slippery slope_.”

Without a word or a glance in your general direction, he places a wad of cash on the counter and walks out the front door. “Wait!” You wanted to call out, already feeling guilty, but you hesitate. You were lucky to have avoided making a scene in the first place. Maybe this was for the best. You weren't running away from yourself. This wasn't just another one of your bad habits.  

At least, that’s what you told yourself so you could sleep that night.


	2. Wallflowers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A couple of weeks after meeting Sans, you run into Toriel during volunteer work. The other humans there don't seem very accepting of her, especially when they find out she's adopted a human child...
> 
> **Warning: Expect some strong language and brief angst in the middle of the chapter. It's okay if you want to skip this one, you won't miss any plot. This is a minor character development chapter for the reader, so it's not essential to understanding the story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to start this chapter with Toriel! I do have some good ideas for Alphys, but apparently a lot of people have the main character meet one of them first, so I wanted to try something different for a change! 
> 
> I liked all of your suggestions, and I promise I'll introduce the others soon, but for now please be a little patient with me. 
> 
> Feel free to share more ideas, whether about who you meet next, plot details, headcanons you want to know if I'll be including, or anything else that comes to mind in the comments!
> 
> ***Keep an eye out for my next poll in the notes at the bottom of the page!

You finish packing up the last box at your station, sealing it with tape and saran wrap. Wiping the sweat from your brow, you straighten your back and turned to scan the room for anyone else who needed help. Volunteering one of your Saturday mornings every month at the food bank was hard work, but picturing the smiles on kids’ faces when they finally got to eat filled you with determination.

“Alex?”

You snap out of your fantasy, looking around to find out who wanted to get your attention. Out of the corner of your eye, you see a flash of pink and a pair of expensive sunglasses. Before you can step outside and head home, a girl with mouse brown hair and a vacant expression corners you.

“Oh, hey Lizzy, I didn’t know you were in today.”

“There you are, I was looking for you everywhere.” She didn’t sound too excited to see you, and you take a wild guess that she had gotten bored of sorting boxes.

“What’s up? Did you need something?”

You shift from foot to foot impatiently as she takes her sweet time responding. You had planned on leaving a bit early, but had no intention of telling her that, although your impatience was obvious enough to make her raise an eyebrow.

 

“I get that your shift’s almost up, but we have a bit of a...” she trails off, glancing around the storage room to make sure nobody was eavesdropping before she leaned in close to whisper the words:

 

“ _monster_ _problem_.”

 

You tense, feeling the muscles in your body coil reflexively like a snake. She didn’t strike you as the type to care about monsters being in the same vicinity as humans. You’d bet your money that she hadn’t even noticed when they first integrated into society. But this was bound to happen with somebody sooner or later, and the fact that that person was Lizzy made you feel uneasy.

“Do you have an _actual_ problem, or did you not get the memo that monsters are allowed to come here?” You ask stiffly, crossing your arms. “I’d like to get home in time for dinner.”

She rolls her eyes. “It’s not like _that_ , don’t be so boring. Just come with me, it’ll take longer to explain.”

Well, she had you there. It was your fault for throwing in a snarky comment about wasting time. Reluctantly, you follow her to the storage closet in the back room where most monsters were volunteering. They were allowed to help as long as they stayed out of sight, since the shopkeepers didn’t want their otherworldly appearances to frighten anyone off. You could tell the owners didn’t like monsters much from the poor condition the room was in. The floor was dirty and probably hadn’t been swept in months, and the lights that weren’t broken flickered dimly. There were no windows, so the air smelled stale and felt stuffy. They didn’t keep any chairs in the back rooms, which meant the monsters had to sit or kneel on the ground while working. Remembering how sore your back was the last time you slept on the concrete floor, you wince. You didn’t like the way they were treated as inferior, but when you were stuck in a town like this, you couldn’t afford to complain.

Lizzy taps your shoulder impatiently and points to a goat monster in a straw hat and wearing a pretty purple sundress with a pattern of little yellow flowers.

“That’s the one. Thanks for staying overtime, I’ll put a good word in,” she remarked, twirling her car keys in the air as she left you alone with the monster. You sigh. Lizzy could be nice when she wanted to, but most of the time she acted like an airhead. The sooner you took care of this “”problem””, the better.

“Hi, how can I help you?” The monster looks up in surprise at your voice and smiles warmly.

“Hello! It is nice to meet you. My name is Toriel. What is yours, child?”

 You felt the tension in your body ease up as she spoke. What a sweet lady! You just didn’t have the heart to hurry her along.

“I’m Alex, it’s nice to meet you too!” You pause, beaming to reassure her she wasn’t an inconvenience. “I heard you were having trouble, is there anything I can do to help?” You ask politely, sitting down beside her.

“Ah, yes, thank you. I was supposed to weave and sew baskets for the rice, but I am afraid my hands are making the task rather difficult,” she sighs, showing you her hands.

You spot the problem immediately: her fingers are too large to fit the threat through the needle, resulting in several scratches staining the fur of her palms red. Frowning, you take her hands in one of yours, reaching around to your back pocket with the free hand to search for a first aid kit. Once all of her cuts are covered in cute glittery bandaids with smiley faces on the side, you move on to address the other problem at hand--no pun intended.

“Thank you, dear,” she says softly, a hint of sadness in her voice. You back away slightly, unable to look her in the eye. Something about the way she’s seen as expendable by the other humans is painful, and all too familiar. It makes you feel sick to your stomach. Your tongue ties itself into a knot, tightening slightly with each breath you take. She doesn’t deserve to be treated like an animal.

“I…”

You choke on your words as your throat closes up. What can you even say in a situation like this? There’s nothing you can do to help her except patch up her cuts, and it puts a bad taste in your mouth. It’s too late to pretend you didn’t say anything, and your lips are starting to burn with the taste of salt.

“I’m sorry…” You manage weakly, looking down at your lap in shame. Toriel laughs, and it’s a light, musical sound, like tinkling wind chimes in the breeze. She takes your hand in her paw and squeezes it gently.

 

“It is not your fault, my child. I should not have been so careless.”

You want to tell her that’s not the problem, she’s not at fault for what happened, but you hold your tongue. She’s still just a stranger, and the last thing she probably wants right now is the pity of a human. Instead of giving in to the throbbing of your heart, you wipe your eyes and put on your brightest smile, squeezing her paw back.

Before you can tell her you’ll finish the sewing job yourself, you hear loud noises and the angry voice of the manager. You exchange looks with Toriel, who seems just as concerned as you are. She nods in understanding, and you decide to investigate the sounds coming from the front desk. As you get closer, you can make out some of the words.

“The _hell_ you will! I’m not letting some kid fuck around in the back of my shop with those _freaks_. GET OUT!” He shouts, face red and flushed with rage.

A kid? You bend down over the counter and see a “child” (who couldn’t be younger than twelve) in a striped sweater pointing frantically at the back room, where you just were. They’re pointing at… Toriel? Suddenly, you recognize some of their hand gestures as ASL. Maybe that’s the reason they’re not shouting back? You decide to test out your theory.

“Hey, Earl, mind finding me an extra roll of tape? We’re all out,” you say, hoping he’ll take the bait.

“Fine,” he grumbles, slamming the box he’s carrying down on the counter. “You’re lucky you don’t have a salary to cut,” he spits, slamming the door to his office in your face.

You roll your eyes at his temper tantrum, turning your attention back to the kid in front of you. They don’t look scared, but they do seem concerned. You know he won’t be back anytime soon, seeing as you checked inventory five minutes ago and didn’t find a trace of tape in the vicinity.

 _What’s your name?_ You’re a little rusty at sign language, but for now this’ll have to do.

Their face lights up as they realize you can communicate with them. _My name is Frisk_ , they respond slowly, watching your face carefully to make sure you understand.

 _It’s nice to meet you, Frisk. What are you doing here?_ Then a thought crosses your mind.

 _Are you looking for Toriel?_  You sign. The kid giggles at your silly attempt to invent a singular symbol for ‘goat woman’.

 _Yes_ , they sign back, _can you take me to her?_

You nod, and their eyes start to sparkle. Then a shadow passes over their face.

_You’re not gonna get in trouble because of me, are you?_

You shake your head, signing back, _He looks big and mean, but I promise he won’t hurt me. I’ll take you to Toriel now._

They smile at your funny sign for Toriel again. _You can call her mom if you want. Sometimes I call her goat mom._

_Oh, is she your mother?_

Frisk looks away, nodding. _She took me in when nobody else would take care of me._

You feel a pang in your chest. They must have had a rough childhood. You decide to steer clear of the topic in the future.

Frisk takes your hand, and your heart feels warm and fuzzy, the feeling of guilt melting away at their touch. You lead them around the front desk and towards the back room, where Toriel is patiently attempting to thread the impossibly thin needle with her fluffy paws.

When they see her, they fling their arms around her in a big hug, causing her to drop everything she’s holding.

“Hello, my child! Is everything all right?” She asks, stroking their hair gently. You didn’t notice it before, but she has a motherly energy surrounding her. It makes you feel comfortable, and guilty that you wish she was your mom, too. You feel a twinge of envy in your gut when you think about your relationship with your own mother.

Toriel stands and brushes the dust off of her dress, humming contentedly. “Thank you for your kindness, my child. What is your name?”

“It’s Alex, and anytime! Let me know if anyone else gives you trouble.” You smile widely, winking at Frisk.

_See you later!_

You wave goodbye as they take the exit, secretly hoping you see them again soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who do you want Alex (you) to meet next? 
> 
> (Also yes, sorry, but I'm giving the reader a name. If it's a really unpopular idea and a lot of people don't like it, I'll consider replacing a name with blanks to fill, but for now this is how it's gonna be.) 
> 
> A: Asgore
> 
> B: Undyne
> 
> C: T̶o̶r̶i̶e̶l̶
> 
> D: Sans (2nd Meeting**)
> 
> E: F̶r̶i̶s̶k̶


	3. No Coincidence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You've managed to befriend Undyne, one of the most fearsome monsters from the Underground, but what you really want to know is why you keep running into monsters. Surely it's all one big coincidence... right?
> 
> (Sorry, this one is a little short! Undyne is pretty straightforward and to the point, and I thought it would be funnier to leave the transition between scenes up to the reader's imagination. The next chapter will definitely make up for any slack here.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So far, my weekly deadline has been a success! This is the third week I've been working on this fic (if you can't remember, counting the chapters is a safe bet), which almost marks an entire month of maintaining a solid writing schedule. 
> 
> As the story goes on, expect it to get a little more serious, longer, and less episodic. I have some big plans for this fic, so stay tuned!

When you pictured meeting Undyne, former captain of the Royal Guard of the Underground, you didn’t expect it to happen during your Friday afternoon commute to the only Starbucks in the city. And you definitely didn’t think she would stop short of hurling the barista out the fifth story window when his manager called her a “freaky little mermaid” and refusing to serve her just because you stepped in. But, even if it’s not what you predicted, that’s exactly what happened. 

Sympathetic to her plight after having seen not only two monsters, but a human child brave enough to be seen with them given the cold shoulder, you offered to buy her a hot beverage. Zane, the scrawny intern behind the espresso bar, relaxed when you intervened. After all, you two  _ did _ go to the same college, attend a couple classes together, and plus he was only a year behind. He hadn’t said anything when his boss made the snide remark, instead pretending to polish his glasses while looking down at the floor in shame. You could empathize with him a little, having been in the same situation recently yourself. But you couldn’t help feeling a twinge of guilt for not being more harsh on his boss when people were saying such nasty things about someone they didn’t even know. 

“You need to take it down a notch. Look, I don’t want any trouble, and neither does she. You don’t want to deal with her? Fine, then let  _ me _ pay.” 

Determined to drive the request home, you pressed on. “I’m a human, so it’s okay, right?” 

Even the shallow head manager couldn’t protest; you had a solid point. It came in handy to have lawyers for parents sometimes, giving you a sleigh of airtight arguments at the ready. Instead of whining about it, she pursed her shiny bubble-gum pink lips, crossed her arms, and waited for Zane to finish filling out your order. He avoided meeting your eyes during the entire exchange, hands shaking so much he nearly spilled both drinks. 

You found a table for two and grabbed a chair, inviting your new friend…? to join you. Undyne eyes you with uncertainty, sniffing her drink before taking a sip. Her eyebrows shoot up in surprise, and the fierce scowl crinkling her facial muscles slowly slips away. Taking a deep breath, you glance out the window, mind racing for something appropriate to say in this situation. Then again, if there was one thing you were good at, it was apologizing. 

“Sorry about her, not all of us are that bad. I promise.” Your voice comes out a lot softer than you intended, but that’s better than not saying anything at all. 

Undyne snorts in disbelief, running a scaly hand through her unruly red curls. 

“I know THAT,” she dismisses your meek apology with a wave of her hand, “I’ve met some decent ones.” 

There’s a brief pause, and the conversation lulls, momentarily dissolving into the clambering of passers-by. It’s not hard to figure out who she’s referring to. 

“You mean Frisk?”

Undyne blinks. “You  _ know _ them?” 

Suddenly feeling a little self-conscious, you reach back behind your head and scratch the nape of your neck. 

“Yeah, I do. They’re a really sweet kid.” 

Her eyebrows furrow in a combination of suspicion and confusion.

“Do all humans know each other?” 

A strained laugh escapes your throat as you shake your head, lowering your arm from its awkward position. 

“No, no, it’s not like that, I met them at a food drive a couple days ago. They were with another mo-monster, I think her name was Toriel…? And one time this, um, skeleton showed up at my day job, but I don’t think I ever got his name--” 

You trail off as you trip over the word ‘monster’, wincing as you remember the negative connotation it has for humans. Thankfully Undyne doesn’t seem to notice, as her eyes are as big as saucers and shining brighter than the glare of the sun on water. 

“Was he short and unable to resist cracking puns, or was he tall and louder than anyone you’ve ever met?!” She asks, barely able to contain her excitement with just her voice. 

“Um…” You guessed that anyone would seem short to Undyne, as she towered over Zane, who was only six foot two when he slouched. But cracking puns? Yep, even though they were awful, you had a feeling you knew who she was talking about. “The first one…? I guess, I mean I’m pretty average for a g-- a human, and he couldn’t have been more than maybe an inch or two shorter,” you ramble, getting cut off before you can finish. 

“THAT’S THE ONE! Man, I haven’t seen Sans or Pap in  _ ages _ ,” she grumbles, stirring her drink with a green stick. 

“Are they friends of yours?” 

“DUH! They can be real knuckleheads sometimes, though,” she adds, turning her attention away from the drink and back to you. 

“Sounds like you know a lot about monsterkind.” Not really? But you smile tightly and nod. Then she narrows her startling yellow eyes, squinting skeptically. “Aren’t you scared of us?” 

Sweat beads on your forehead as you hastily scramble to think of a response that won’t get you gutted with a magic blue spear. 

“N-Not really, I mean, I haven’t seen monsters hurt anyone. Why would I have the right to judge you without getting to know you as individuals first?” 

You swallow, feeling the lump in your throat throb with anticipation. “And anyways, humans can be pretty violent, too, so even if one of you  _ did _ hurt someone, I wouldn’t blame all of you.” 

Looking mildly taken aback, Undyne rests against the back of her chair. 

“You’re not like most of the human on the surface.” 

That wasn’t the answer you expected. For a second, you thought you detected a hint of sadness in her voice. It made you wonder if this was Undyne’s first experience with awful humans. Something told you it wasn’t the first time, and definitely not the worst. 

“Hey, human, I never asked your name,” Undyne watches you expectantly, waiting for an answer. 

“Oh, um, you can call me Alex. It’s not as cool as ‘Undyne’ or ‘Frisk’, but it’s mine.” Undyne tilts her head, observing you with a level of scrutiny that borders on uncomfortable. Just when your eyes start itching to blink, she slams her palms down flat on the table and grins, a mischievous glint in her eye. 

“We need to work on your self-esteem. C’mon, punk, I’m gonna take you somewhere fun,” she says, grabbing your wrist and dragging you out of the Starbucks before you can throw away your cup. Something tells you her definition of ‘fun’ involves a lot of kicking and punching, and you’re not eager to find out if your hunch is correct. 

Three hours and several bad bruises later, you remind yourself not to take another martial arts class with Undyne as you successfully drag your aching body up five flights of stairs without passing out. 

_ Nothing could possibly make today any stranger _ , you think, rounding the last corridor and fumbling for your keys. 

Before you can open the door to your apartment, you hear the door to the apartment next to yours click shut. 

That’s odd, you don’t remember anyone living there. Could it be a new neighbor? 

Hand on the doorknob, you turn to get a glimpse of the person living next door, and what you see stops you in your tracks. You freeze, suddenly wide awake, adrenaline pumping through your body at the speed of sound. Standing there in front of you is a familiar-looking skeleton in a gray sweatshirt holding a garbage bag. He blinks, as if he can’t believe you’re really there, and starts, dropping the trash in his hand. Even if it’s been weeks, a reaction like that can only mean one thing: 

There’s no way in hell he didn’t recognize your face.  
Based on what the universe had in store for you earlier, your day was about to get a  _ lot _ more interesting. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, everyone! I'm not going to take a poll for Chapter Four. I'm dedicating that one to some quality time (and heavy exposition) with your favorite skelebros. 
> 
> But if there's a character you have in mind that you want Alex to meet next, let me know! Please choose from one of the following: 
> 
> ____________________________
> 
> A: Mettaton
> 
> B: Alphys 
> 
> C: Asgore 
> 
> D: Flowey 
> 
> E: Grillby  
> __________________
> 
> Thank you for continuing to support me! I hope I can write something that will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy on the inside.


	4. Sooner or Later

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The reader is confronted by Sans, and they both try to puzzle out each other's intentions.
> 
> **No end of chapter survey this week!

You shouldn’t have been as surprised as you were. The more you thought about it, the more everything seemed to make sense.

 

This apartment building was the cheapest one, partly because the developers built it in the shadiest part of town. All of its facilities were old, rundown, and you didn’t want to think about how much vandalism occurred on a weekly basis. You’d have to be crazy to stay there, or desperate--which you were. 

 

Something in your gut told you he was, too. I mean, what were the chances that any other establishment would allow a monster to live under its roof? Slim to none, you guessed. He seemed so composed the first time you met that his reaction now startled you. 

 

“Wh-What are you doing here?!” You blurt, cursing yourself for not biting your tongue in time. 

 

Can skeletons pale? Because he’s turning an even more prominent shade of white. 

 

Before you can so much as blink, you feel a hitch in your breath. Suddenly you’re weightless, floating several feet above the ground, skin bathed in blue light. 

 

It’s like an iron fist is curled around your heart, its icy grip impossible to escape. You’d slap yourself, pinch yourself to wake up from this dream, but you can’t move a muscle. 

 

His skull is slick with sweat, his arm extended at a sharp angle between your body and his. His brow ridges are furrowed in a cold fury, and his eyelights were fixated directly on you. That’s when you notice the light emanating from the skeleton’s left eye socket. The bright blue glow of his ghostly iris is an unmistakable match for the magic outlining your body. It seems to flicker and shake, though your body is still completely rigid. 

 

Wait… was he… trembling? You knew better, but if you didn’t, you’d guess he was scared of you. Of  _ you _ ? But  _ he _ was the one who had the power to make you unable to move! Did he really think of you as a threat? 

 

A chill runs down your spine when his eyes roam your body, no doubt searching your pockets for any concealed weapons. It was like he was rummaging around in your head, and it made your soul feel... naked. 

 

You tried to open your mouth to say something, but it was no use. Your lips were glued shut by his blue magic. You couldn’t blink, and it was almost impossible to breathe. Sans must have seen the strained look on your face, because in a split second you were splayed on the mud-dirtied carpet plastered against the floor of the hall.

 

“Ow,” you muttered, rubbing your backside. There wasn’t a part of your body that didn’t feel sore after that abrupt introduction to the ground. Fortunately, the anxiety that had pulsed through your limbs dissipated on impact. 

 

Wait. Seriously? A skeleton monster you’ve already met and conversed politely with finds out he’s your next door neighbor, and his first reaction is to chuck you head first towards the ceiling? What the hell was his problem?!

 

On the inside, you’re fuming, but you don’t let it show. After spending years under the thumb of a controlling tag team of guardians, you learned how to conceal your emotions and hold your ground when necessary. Your head reminds you that people do stupidly dangerous things when they’re scared, and fear doesn’t usually give themselves time to think about how that will affect others, but your heart aches with the sting of betrayal. 

 

“Wh…What the hell was that?! How did you- why?” You sputter into silence weakly, searching his eyes for answers. 

 

A look of guilt flashed across his face, and he bows his head. 

 

“my uh, magic.”

 

The word hit you like a slap across the face. He turns away, one hand on the doorknob, but stops mid-turn when you start to speak. 

 

“You used your magic on me?”

 

Did he really hate you that much? Even after the way you treated him like any other customer? Yeah, sure, it was the least you could do, but you felt like you had the right to expect the bare minimum of kindness in return. Monsters using magic on humans was a huge taboo, and they only did it when they had the intent to kill. Thinking about how he hadn’t even hesitated to attack you hurt much more than your legs, sore from the fall. 

 

Seeing your expression, the skeleton falters, lowering his arms to his sides. You think you see a flicker of guilt in his eyelights, but it’s gone before you can even blink. 

 

“look… we--” he blanches, “i mean, i--don’t want any trouble.” He shifts uncomfortably from one foot to the other. 

 

“i feel like i owe ya some answers. come inside and you’ll get ‘em.” He gestures to his apartment door, holding it open in invitation. 

 

You hesitate. Do you really want to get this involved with a monster? Remembering the way Frisk was screamed at and shunned for associating with Toriel ties your stomach in knots. You’re not eager to become the target of gossip or discrimination by people you’ve known all your life. But deep down, buried under color-coded calendars and a cookie cutter routine, some small part of you wants to hear what he has to say. Your body moves on its own, as though the skeleton is using his magic on you again, except this time there’s no blue glow, or the static of tension in the air. The lock clicks shut behind you so softly that you don’t notice the sound. 

 

**************************************************

 

You don’t remember taking more than a step forward when suddenly you’re sitting on a beaten up old couch at one end of a coffee table. The skeleton sits across from you, head tilted slightly as his eyelights roam your face. 

 

“so uh. the name’s sans. sans the skeleton.”

 

“Alex. Alex the human.” 

 

“nice to meet ya.” 

 

He extends a skeletal hand, and you reach out to shake it. You stop mid-shake as the sound of a deflating whoopee cushion fills the air. 

 

“heh, classic.” 

 

You blink in utter disbelief. Did he actually just…? Unable to stay composed, you bring one hand up to your mouth and cover it, trying to muffle a snort of laughter--and failing miserably. Is it possible for a skeleton to grin even more than he already is? Because if so, Sans’s grin stretches from earhole to earhole. 

 

“and sorry about that earlier, didn’t mean to  _ rattle _ your  _ bones _ .” He must be talking about when he used his magic to toss you in the air like a ragdoll. You roll your eyes, fighting the urge to laugh at his second perfectly timed quip. 

 

Instead, you think of something better. 

 

“Next time, I’d really appreciate a heads’  _ up _ ,” you fire back with a deadpan expression, earning a chuckle from the burly skeleton. 

 

“it’s  _ ice _ to see you again,” he replies, eagerly waiting for your reaction. You have to pinch the bridge of your nose to stop yourself from laughing this time. It takes you a minute to realize he’s talking about the drink you made him the first time you met, during your shift at the coffee shop. Had that really happened a couple weeks ago? It felt like a lot longer than that. Your conscience suddenly burns with guilt for not defending Sans in front of those nosy customers, and you drop eye contact, staring instead down at your lap. 

“Sans, I… I’m really sorry about what happened at work.” 

 

You hope he can hear the unspoken regrets in your voice. 

 

“s’alright, i’m used to it,” he dismisses your concern with the wave of a hand, “‘sides, if they actually posed a threat, i could always take care of ‘em.” 

 

You shiver at the thought of Sans dangling his enemies in the air with blue magic shining like fire in his eyelights. The hair on the back of your neck stands up, but you play it off as a sudden chill from the cold early spring weather. He shifts his jawbone sympathetically, though you don’t know if he’s sorry for attacking you or for keeping the room at the temperature of an icebox. 

 

“yeah, it’s kinda cold in here. fortunately we don’t have skin, so it’s not a problem.” 

 

There it is again-- _ ”we.” _ Who else was he talking about? You remember what Undyne said about there being skeleton brothers, plural, and feel your curiosity arouse. 

 

“We?” You ask innocently, blinking hard. He nods, absently scratching a circle in the wooden table with a bony finger. 

 

“me and my bro. we live together, so you’ll probably meet him soon.” 

 

“Oh yeah! Papyrus, right?” You snap your fingers, feeling a small sense of accomplishment for being able to recall the name. 

 

Apparently, that was the wrong answer. Whatever ease there was in the atmosphere between you dissipates in the blink of an eye. 

 

Sans narrows his sockets, blue eyelights flaring to life as he leans forward to regard you with an intimidating stiffness. Of course he’d be suspicious if a stranger knew his brother’s name, you curse at yourself internally. 

 

“look, pal, i don’t know what your deal is, but i’d appreciate it if you’d explain something to me,” your bony companion interjects before you can so much as open your mouth. “why do you keep following us?”

 

_ Excuse me? That’s  _ my _ line _ . 

 

You definitely weren’t in the mood to be spoken to so confrontationally by the monster who just moments ago treated you like a human football, and if anything,  _ he _ was the one who had some explaining to do. But the fear in his eyes flashed through your memory, and you knew the conversation couldn’t end here. 

 

Sighing, you cave. “I’m not following you. I have better things to do,” you say, unable to keep the edge out of your voice. 

 

He must not have detected any insincerity in your voice, because visibly relaxes, letting his shoulders fall. The glowing blue of his iris fades to black once more, and he looks down at a skeletal hand with an expression you can’t quite read. 

 

No, you’re not gonna stand for this. It’s time to set the record straight. 

 

“Believe me, I get it. Humans don’t exactly have a great history of tolerating each other, much less monsters. And in a town like this, new things only bring out the worst in people. They’re scared, and they don’t care who they have to step on to feel safe again. It’s not even your fault, and it’s not fair that they’re blaming you for everything.” 

 

The words spill from your lips before you can fully process what you’re saying. You wince, hoping it sounded coherent enough to make him hate you a little less. 

 

Sans slouches back against the chair, posture going slack.  _ Using magic must take a lot of energy out of him _ . 

 

“y’know, you remind me of someone.” 

 

That wasn’t the response you were expecting. But hey, it wasn’t screaming, so you’ll take it! 

 

“Who? That is, if you don’t mind me asking.” 

 

His cheekbones crease upwards in a smile, this one reaching his sockets as his eyelights glaze over. He’s somewhere else right now, and you’re not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad one, so you stay quiet. You’re staring so intently at his expression that you don’t notice the door creak open, and jump when the door slams shut with a bang. 

 

“SANS! I BRING GROCERIES AND GREETINGS FROM UNDYNE!” 

 

A skeleton dressed in battle armor strides into the apartment, a look of utter glee on his face. He was tall, much taller than Sans, and had splashes of red in his outfit instead of blue. 

 

_ This must be Papyrus _ . He seemed a little less mature than Sans, but you can’t tell from looking at them who’s the older brother. Sans snaps out of his stupor, but doesn’t make a move to help his brother carry in the grocery bags. 

 

“OH, I SEE YOU HAVE MADE A HUMAN FRIEND! WELCOME TO OUR HUMBLE ABODE, HUMAN!” 

 

_ Is he for real?  _ The way he carries himself tells you he probably takes himself very seriously, despite being one of the most ridiculous people you’ve ever met. Even while you’re judging him, you can’t help but admit his enthusiasm is contagious. After all, calling you his friend was enough to coax the typically stubborn corners of your mouth upwards. 

 

“Nice to meet you too, Papyrus. You can call me Alex.” 

 

“WOWIE! WE’VE ONLY JUST MET AND YOU ALREADY KNOW MY NAME! NO DOUBT MY BROTHER HAS BEEN TELLING YOU TALES OF MY GREATNESS?”

 

His eyelights sparkle with excitement as he eagerly awaits your response. You wonder if he’s part golden retriever on one side of the family. 

 

“Well… yeah, something like that.” 

 

“I’M IMPRESSED, BROTHER! YOU USUALLY NEGLECT YOUR IMPORTANT DUTIES!” 

 

You side-eye Sans, still not quite sure how much you should say about your previous meetings and his part time jobs. 

 

“I wouldn’t have guessed. I mean, from what I’ve seen, he seems pretty responsible.”

 

Papyrus stops in his tracks and drops the bag of groceries smack on the living room floor. Now you’re starting to see the resemblance. He blinks several times before turning back to you, a stark look of disbelief on his face. 

 

“ARE YOU SURE YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT SANS? NO, THIS CAN’T BE RIGHT! UNLESS... HE’S MANAGED TO BAMBOOZLE YOU!” His eye sockets widen, jaw going slack. 

 

“DON’T TELL ME YOU’VE BEEN FOOLED BY HIS CHARMS, HUMAN! LET YOUR GUARD DOWN ONCE AND HE’LL SHOWER YOU WITH AN ENDLESS TORRENT OF PUNS!”

 

You glance over at the skeleton in the blue hoodie, silently asking for help. Sans watches you with an expression you can’t read. The message is clear: you’re alone on this one. 

 

“N-No! I mean, I’m sure he’s very charming, but it’s not like that! We’re, umm, just friends…?” 

 

You hold your breath, pretending to intently study the polka dotted pattern of their carpet. If today wasn’t already nightmarish enough, the universe had decided to conspire against you a third time.

 

“HMM, I SEE. SO YOU WERE ABLE TO RESIST. GOOD THINKING, HUMAN! IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO KEEP YOUR HEAD AT ALL TIMES! I KNOW I WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO FUNCTION WITHOUT IT! MY HEAD, OF COURSE, NOT YOURS.” 

 

You breathed a sigh of relief, rubbing the nape of your neck. This conversation was mortifying, but it also raised a few big questions--were there monster-human couples? Could monsters and humans get along well enough for a lot of them to date? Was it possible for them to have children together? Realizing how far ahead into the future the last question went, you felt heat rise to your face. 

 

It was at this moment Sans decided to step in, sparing you from further embarrassment. 

 

“hey, bro, the stove blew out again. mind if we step out for some grub?” 

 

Papyrus groaned. 

 

“FINE, BUT IF YOU ARE PLANNING ON GOING TO GRILLBY’S, I WILL DINE ELSEWHERE.” 

 

As he set about picking up the various assorted fruits, vegetables and boxes of pasta that had spilled out of his bag, Sans stood up and gestured to the front door. Once you both exited, you turned to face him, a question already forming on your lips.

 

“don’t worry, i know a shortcut.” 

 

With a snap of his fingers, the world spun and went black.

**Author's Note:**

> Reader is asexual (meaning, they experience no sexual attraction to anyone under any circumstances, ever) and will have several minor plot points where their orientation affects their interactions with the other characters, especially background characters such as the ex boyfriend in the first chapter. 
> 
> Sorry, but I don't plan on writing smut or any sex scenes whatsoever. In fact, I probably won't have many mentions of sex, except when I feel like it's necessary to emphasize the reader's asexuality and neutral, distant attitude towards having sex. 
> 
> ***IMPORTANT: The current archive warnings I'm using may be updated in the future if I decide I want to write about a more mature topic than sexuality and/or sex aversion. I'll make sure to let you know in advance--as in, before you start reading the chapter--if there's any potentially upsetting content.
> 
> ________________________________________________________________________


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